The Devilish Fox
by Jhinnua
Summary: A tale about Rumpelstiltskin's dagger and how it came into the Enchanted Forest in the first place. Follow a crafty fox through time and space as he answers the biggest question of them all... where did the Dark One's Curse originate anyway? **Warning: some OC slash/femmeslash involved, otherwise relationships are roughly Canon**
1. Chapter 1

The Land of Seasons

Once upon a time in a land far different from our own, a dirty old hag sat hunched over a bubbling cauldron of toxic fumes. Above her dried herbs hung from the thatch ceiling, and bottles filled with strange colored liquids sat on the shelves over the simple fireplace. Intricate relics from times long forgotten crowded the remainder of the hovel. They were discarded in a manner that made hardly space for her robust waist to wade through, never mind the comfort of her visitors.

The people of the realms had come to know her as Auntie, her name so long lost in time that it no longer mattered if she had one. More often than not she was thought of as mad with the way her garbled mutterings came off her lips non-stop, but her blue eyes always twinkled with a craftiness that those same people feared. She chuckled to herself as her gnarled fingers sprinkled another herb into her toiling concoction. Despite her age and the way her fingers were bent, she moved with a deftness that defied natural order.

Feeling spittle start to run down her chin, the hag wiped it away from her wrinkled lips. She needed to look at least half decent. After all, she was expecting a rather grand sort of company. She grinned in toothless horror as her expected visitor finally stooped through her small wooden door. He was tall, yes, and attractive in a pretty sort of way. His clothes were more fashionable than most, giving away his life's position though that wasn't something he was concerned about at the moment. In fact it probably helped his goal.

"Takin' yer tam Ah sees, highness." The old hag had been expecting him for quite some time, after all.

He chuckled at her, his voice sophisticated and gentle even though she knew he had venom running through his veins. It was something he kept well hidden even from his own family. He crossed the threshold in a single step and leaned against the huts lone pillar.

With an uncanny casualness he picked up one of the ancient knives and twirled it in his fingers. "I had to wait until she was prepared to make her move. You know that." Her guest responded in a friendly, teasing, tone. Like the hag, he was a crafty devil yet his ways were far subtler than her own. How could they not be? Even now his parents presumed him a useless son. He did nothing, except lock himself in his study all day pouring over books and writings from long ago. They called him a scholar.

The hag was more inclined to call him a fox. After all, only a fox would be able to outwit the masses into believing he was unwilling to fight the White Witch. If they knew what he was studying, their opinions would be quite different. Yes, quite different indeed.

"The hour is almost on us though, so it's time… and I need your assistance."

The hag's grin faltered momentarily, her blue eyes softening in some contorted form of concern. The only way to defeat the White Witch was through the use of a curse. She knew he had already tried every spell, every enchanted object. Nothing had worked. For such a curse the Prince would have to give up everything.

"Y'sure ya want t'pay the price for this magic?"

With care he set the knife back down and pushed himself off the pillar. She could see the heaviness weighing him down as he spoke, "Luc and Dura understand." His eyes rose off the floor to meet hers. The cat-green eyes did not sparkle with his usual wit, and his smile that faded as he became more serious.

The old woman nodded her head. He understood the ways of magic better than most, had studied it until he did. As much as she would have liked to have otherwise in this case, Magic always came with a price.

"C'mon back in three days. Ah'll 'ave it ready then."

Kaext bowed to her respectfully. "Thank you Auntie. May you and your niece both find happiness should I succeed… or fail." The old woman inclined her head. A smile returned to his lips as he turned and left the old woman to her craft. After all, he had more business to deal with before the day was out.


	2. Chapter 2

Storybrooke, Maine

A light appeared at the end of the dark tunnel. Wagons full of dust sat abandoned through the man-made caverns. With a cheerful twitter a streak-backed oriole fluttered up from the drafty mine through one of the small ventilation ducts. Its orange head stood out strongly against the black and white of its wings as it zipped across the sky. Bird enthusiasts would know it as a streak-backed oriole.

It circled in an unusual pattern over the town of Storybrooke, Maine until it found an open window. Fluttering down into the small shop set far away from Main Street, in what the residents could easily consider the red light district, the bird chirruped and came to sit on the back of a leather office chair. Not even the swirl of orange cloud made its presence known to those within.

Two young women ran the shop, twins in height and basic figure only. Currently they were in the front room away from the open office window. A length of black curtain hid the door to the office from the customers, though as there were none at the moment it was slightly pulled open.

The more mature woman, dressed mostly in white with a touch of pink for flair, didn't look at all like she was the type to run the sort of shop it was. She was dressed far too conservatively, all the way up to the blonde curls she kept in a bun. Her teal-colored eyes were set behind a classy pair of pink-framed glasses. They were favorite pair, in fact, not that she had needed glasses back home. She looked to her sister and sighed. If she didn't know any better she would have thought that the girl had A.D.D or something with the way she was pacing.

"Why don't you go outside and chase your tail or something?"

The girl glared at her with red-tinged eyes through a mane of brunette bangs. "Shut up Amberly." Unlike Amber, she was dressed in a gothic grunge sort of look, making her tanned skin look washed out. Her style might have had her showing off a little more of the limited goods, but she too had an air about her that said she didn't belong in the shop. It must have been the discomfort of being surrounded by nothing but sex all day. Neither of them particularly enjoyed the act.

Amberly rolled her eyes and set her clipboard down. "Do we need to order anything?"

"Dunno."

She twitched and cast a stern look in her sister's general direction. "I asked you to do the order sheet this week." Though she snapped the words out, she couldn't really blame the girl for not doing it, but they had a business to run. It didn't matter that they sort of really hated being surrounded by adult paraphernalia all day long. People came in and bought the stuff, so Amber would sell it until she could find a way home.

"Don't care."

"Feryal!" Amberly started, but the rest of her speech caught in her throat as she noticed movement in the doorway of the office. She gripped the clipboard in her fingers, a growl rising in her throat as she stormed into the office. Intruders and thieves had far more to fear from her than she did from them. "Whose in there?!"

Her sister followed close behind, a knife hidden in the palm of her hand. Fery always had some weapon or another for cases like this. If it weren't for several different reasons they would have probably been questioned by the rather interesting new Sheriff or one of her family members by now.

What they stumbled upon, however, was not what they could have anticipated. Amber's shoulders straightened and her sister's head tilted to the side in confusion. In the chair behind the office desk sat someone they hadn't seen for centuries. The crafty devil grinned at them as he lit his pipe.

"I never expected you to wind up in such a place, highness." He said to her teasingly. For all her surprise, Amberly still managed to glare at him, insulted. He laughed and turned his attentions to the dark haired version of her instead. "And how is my favorite pup?"

Fery grinned, her palmed weapon slipping discreetly away as she made her way to sit at the orange-haired man's feet. No doubt she thought he had a treat for her, though he probably did. He always seemed to have something sweet on him ever since the first time they met in their world.

Amberly scoffed as her sister was petted, the mere audacity of the two offending her more than the posters of naked men on her right ever could. "How did you get here, Kaext?" She wanted to throw the clipboard at him. The twitch of his eyebrows made her freeze, however. "I-I mean… your Majesty…"

"Well, that is a rather funny story," was Kaext's cheeky reply, "The short version is I flew through the window."


	3. Chapter 3

The Land of Seasos

Deep within the amber mountains of the Autumn Realm, court had gathered at the Golden Manor. They were there to discuss the threat that had been waging war on the kingdom for the past ten years. Advisors and dignitaries were seated in the tall wooden bleachers of the Silver Hall, illuminated by a crystal ceiling.

Seated in the center of the room on thrones made from the purist gold were the King and Queen. Worried glances passed between them as the dignitaries shouted over one another.

"She has gotten worse!" The first declaration came from one of the larger House's in the southern part of the kingdom, "One of these days she'll tear us apart."

Others cried out with similar sentiments. The war had been going on for far too long, numerous people had died. If it didn't end soon they would be sending their children to the battlefield.

The only thing no one in the courtroom could agree on was the method of dispatching the Queen of the North. She was too powerful. Suggestions were shouted, arguments started. Amidst it all the two leaders remained silent.

Kaext couldn't help but be amused as he tapped his pipe lightly against his lip. The war itself was a pure tragedy that could have been prevented had certain triggering events not occurred, but the way everyone carried on about how to deal with it humored him. Here they were sitting and arguing when she was getting closer and they could be doing something about it.

A blast of cold air flung open the doors, swirling snow announcing the arrival of the enemy into the court. Frightened gasps resounded through the room as the White Witch's figure formed in front of the King and Queen. Her platinum curls tumbled down her gown as a crown of icicles encircled her head.

The King and Queen stood with their hands clasped together as though it would protect them from her wrath. His highness placed a hand on his sword as he stared the teal-eyed witch down. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"I've come to destroy your kingdom," the Witch snarled, raising one of her slender hands as she stepped forward. With a snap of her fingers the Royals were swept into a swirling tornado of snow. "When the snow settles, you and the heirs shall be barren until your kingdom falls to ruin. This is how you shall repay me for what you did."

A flash of light dispersed the white flakes as the spell took hold. The Queen cried out, but in another fit of wind the White Witch disappeared.

It took all Kaext had not to laugh at such a petty revenge. He removed his black leather boots from the railing and turned to the curly haired man in his service. "Tell my mother and father that the family needs to unite in my quarters in an hour," he ordered. The man inclined his head.

With that accomplished, Kaext made his way from the magnificence of the courtroom to the wing that held his quarters.

He paused at the steps that led to the wing. With a sweep of his arm he left the world behind in a millisecond of complete inexistence. When he appeared again he was perched on a chair in his study.

A teenage boy sat at the head of the table, reading from a book that was almost bigger than him. Kaext smiled fondly at his charge. Really the boy was nothing to look at, scraggly and thin with clothes that hung off a weak frame, but his thirst for knowledge and love of books impressed the Prince.

"Lucas," he announced, startling the blonde from the scripted pages, "I need you to get ready now. Durante has told my family to meet here in an hour."

"Y-yes sir," the boy replied. He closed the book, solitary brown eye pausing to stare at the cover. His finger traced a design on the cover as he shifted uncomfortably. Finally he raised his head to look at his master. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

The prince couldn't help but allow his smile to soften. "Either way it doesn't matter. I have to," he answered, "I can't say I'm going to enjoy the consequences, though."


	4. Chapter 4

Storybrooke, Maine

Kaext swirled his tea around as he thought over everything Amber had told him. There wasn't much information to go off; Amber had only started keeping track of events after the curse had broken, and hadn't been able to drudge much up about the twenty-eight years prior or how exactly they had been pulled from their world in the first place.

He had some idea about the latter. The remnants of magic he could feel were familiar, and there was really only one explanation for that. The knife was in this world. He had been to nearly every dimension imaginable in search of the weapon he'd used to remove the coldness of Amber's heart.

"Have you seen my boys?" he asked suddenly. "Did they come through?"

His host set her cup down on the desk. "I believe I've seen Lucas," she replied. "I haven't seen the other one yet." Amber looked to the window and back to the man. His elaborate brocade coat and breeches were a clear giveaway that he had just arrived in this world. "You need to change your outfit, Majesty."

"I suppose you're right," he agreed. His gaze drifted around the room until it landed on a poster of a man clad in leather chaps and a harness. Kaext tried to suppress his grin when he pointed at it and asked in no manner of seriousness, "Should I base my clothes off that?"

It was surprising how fast Amber could pick up a clipboard and chuck it at his head. He burst out laughing as he just managed to dodge the plastic square. "Don't you dare!" she snarled at him. "I've seen far too many naked men in the past twenty-eight years. I don't need to see your disgusting body too!"

Kaext rolled his eyes and chided her. "Oh come now, that hurt my feelings." She glared at him. He beamed, content to know that he could still get under her skin. "So, what kind of clothing do men in this world wear?" He watched Amber as she pulled out a catalogue from the wall cabinet and threw it down before of him.

He stared at it before flipping through it. "What an interesting texture," he mused as he flipped through the pages. He came to the men's section of the book. The clothes were amazing in their simple elegance. Even on the pages they looked far more comfortable than what he was accustomed to. With a snap of his fingers his homelands garb was replaced with a simple outfit right from the magazine. "How's this?"

Amber looked him over. The grey slacks, black sports coat, and orange cardigan were rather fetching on him, not that she would admit that. "It'll do," she grumbled instead. With a disgruntled sigh she looked to the door. "If we are going to find your boys," she continued, "we'd better start at the Sheriff's office."

"Very well," Kaext responded. "Where is—wait a tick, you're intending to help me?" He was taken aback by the revelation. After what had gone down between them he had expected her to kick him out before lending a helping hand.

The woman shrugged. "Offering my services is more appealing than watching you try to manipulate me into it. Besides, if your precious boys have been separated, how much longer can Durante remain with his sanity intact?"

"Touché, dear woman," he drawled out, aware that it was her way of thanking him. If Durante lost control of his inner rage, the town would be in severe danger and no one would know how to stop him. Kaext certainly didn't want that. Adjusting his coat, he placed his hand on the door and motioned for her to lead the way.

Feryal's nose was stuck in a children's picture book as she manned the front desk. Amber had chased her out of the office so 'the adults could talk'. She glanced at them as they passed. "Can Fery come?" she quipped, "or does she have to stay here and tend the store for stupid Amberly?"

"Shut up Fery!" Amber spat as she opened the front door. "Stay here; we might get customers."

Kaext chuckled at the two, amused by the similarities in their dynamic in this world and their own. He gave Fery a pat on the head. "I'll need your help later," he told her with a wink. She grinned after him deviously.


	5. Chapter 5

The Land of Seasons

"I demand to know why we were summoned!" the king said as soon as he crossed the library's threshold. His features were red with offense and made him look like a tomato. The red robes he wore didn't help the matter. Behind him the queen groaned, touching a hand to her forehead. As much as she wished to see her eldest son and her husband get along, she knew it wasn't going to happen. Following her, Kaext's siblings entered the room.

Kaext smiled, swirling a cup filled with his favorite Cosmic Whiskey Tea. The drink was a mixture of whiskey, green tea, lemon, and a hint of stardust; it was something he'd created in a failed attempt to make a better medication for Durante. He sat cross-legged at the table Lucas had been reading at earlier. "Come, join me. Have a drink," he said. He watched his brothers and sisters take their seats. His mother sat to his right and he poured her a drink. His father, however, remained standing at the other end.

The king had always had a temper and he was showing it now. "Don't mock me, Quadivarian," he growled. The use of his first name jolted Kaext; even his siblings usually referred to him by their family name. Still, the coy smile remained on his lips.

"I'm not mocking you," he said. "I'm asking you to sit down and relax."

His mother spoke up, her eyes wide with concern. "Did you not hear what the White Witch said? She's cursed us all to impotency."

Kaext set down his drink and leaned forward toward his guests. "Yes," he said, "that's why I've brought you here." Standing, he motioned for Durante to pour drinks for his guests. He turned his back on his family as though struggling for the right words to start with. Really he was just working on his father's nerves.

Before the man could explode he turned back to his family. "You see, she said that your heirs would be barren. That would mean those in line to take the throne," he began. "But, what if the first in line for succession gave it up? She would no longer be an heir." His eyes drifted to his golden haired sister. She was the eldest of them all and the next rightful ruler with the way they did succession. He couldn't quite read the look she gave him, but it lay in the realms between not understanding and catching on.

"I will not hand over this kingdom to you!" his father roared. The reaction was perfectly natural, even though the man hadn't officially removed the prince from the list. Even if he had, Kaext would disappoint him by not getting married to a woman and having children.

The queen looked at her husband and shook her head. "Let's listen to what he has to say, dear," she said. "I don't think that's what he's getting at. Is it, Kaext?" Despite his clearly disgruntled grumblings, the king took a seat and waved a hand for his son to continue.

Kaext cleared his throat and continued. "She specifically stated that the curse would affect the heirs, not the descendants," he said. "If Laurelin gives up her title she shouldn't be affected. Then we make her child the rightful heir." He opened his arms across his chest and smiled, completely satisfied with his suggestion. Everyone stared at him. He shrugged his shoulders. "It's just a suggestion."

Laurelin stooped in her seat, her lovely chin resting on her fist. "If…" she began to ask, her voice hesitant as she worded the question, "if I give up my succession, how do you know for sure that I wouldn't still be barren?"

Kaext grinned. His hands slammed down on the table, startling everyone. He pointed a finger at Laurelin and answered deftly. "We find your true love of course," he said gleefully. "But, only after I cut out the Witch's heart."

His family gaped at him, in utter shock for a variety of reasons. He'd played most of them fools for so long, especially his father, that of course this revelation would surprise them. He allowed it to sink in.

"You can't even wield a sword, how do you expect to cut out her heart?" his younger brother asked. "We can't even get our men close to her domain. You expect to just ride in there? You're a fool, brother."

"Do you really think, Kylemore, that I would lock myself away in a library while you fools spend countless lives trying to defeat a woman who has the craft at her disposal, without having a plan?" Kaext snapped at the young man. He shook his head and sighed in disappointment. The same man had trained them; he'd simply made a choice not to boast about his abilities. It wasn't like he was planning on going into the snowy lands without a plan. Then again, Kylemore wasn't exactly the brightest. He had been an excellent warrior until an injury had removed him from the field. Kaext sometimes wished the injury had been a bit more fatal.

Despite this, he went on to explain his plan more in depth. His family listened; their curiosity was peaked, now. Laurelin would denounce her title to the throne; their parents would decide whom to crown instead. Meanwhile Kaext would make his way to the snowy lands of the Northern Kingdom. He would proceed to cut the darkness out of her heart. If he was successful, which he assured them he would be, he would then traverse the continents to find a worthy suitor for Laurelin. When he was finished, the prince dusted off his hands. "I assure you that this is the only way it can be done. I've already set things in motion. Now, before you leave I have one more topic I'd like to address."

"And what would that be?" his father asked. Kaext motioned toward a tall bookshelf. His two apprentices stepped out dressed in clothes made by the royal tailor. They came to stand at his side obediently, eyes cast down shyly as the royal family looked them over.

Protectively, the prince wrapped an arm around Lucas and ran a hand through the boy's blond hair. He gave the youth a kiss on his forehead. Then he took Durante's hand and perched up on his toes to give the man a kiss on the cheek.

No one uttered a word until Kaext once again broke the spell. "My lovers will need to be guaranteed protection and a life here," he said somberly.


	6. Chapter 6

Storybrooke, Maine

Emma was in a hurry that morning as she left Granny's Diner. She was accustomed to a hectic lifestyle, but having a kid made it even worse. Motherhood had its rewards though, even if she did feel a little guilty about taking him away from Regina. She was glad that the woman was trying to change, but the thought of letting her near Henry still turned her stomach. It was these sorts of thoughts that she opened the door of Granny's Diner and failed to see the teenage boy coming up the steps. She ran smack dab into him, spilling her coffee in the process and sending him stumbling back down the stairs.

"Oh, are you alright?!" She asked. She dropped her empty take-away cup to grab the youth to keep him from falling. He flinched as her hand wrapped around her wrist and looked disoriented as he tried to figure out what had happened.

The teen blinked, his ear tilting in her direction. His blonde hair hung down in a shaggy mess, obscuring his eyes. He was a scraggly thing, though it was possible that the oversized shirt just made it seem that way. "I'm alright. Are you?" he asked with an embarrassed smile. "W-would you be able to help me find my cane? I-I sort of dropped it when…"

Emma was confused until she noticed the white cane on the ground. She picked it up. "Here," she said and held it out to him. He felt out until he found her hands, and worked his fingers up until they touched the rod. She watched him curiously for a moment. "Hey, are you blind?" she asked, flinching a bit when she realized how rude she sounded. She had improved on her crass nature, but clearly not enough.

The blond didn't seem to take any offense though as he shyly dropped his gaze. "Yes. I-I mean, mostly. I don't think my glasses came with me," he told her. She looked him over a little more closely. He was underweight; his clothes were dirty like he'd been outside for days if not longer. The mess of hair, she realized, probably hadn't been cut or brushed for months.

"What's your name kid?" she asked just as his stomach growled. "C'mon, I'll buy you breakfast."

The boy gazed up at her. "Oh, no. That's ok. I have…I have some money. I'll be ok," he said, one hand fumbling through his pockets. What he had was hardly chump change. No wonder he was so skinny.

Emma shook her head and said, "Nah kid, let me buy you a meal. I need to get more coffee anyway." She opened the door for him. "C'mon, lets go."

"Oh, uh, a-alright. Thank you," he said shyly and tapped the cane in front of him to find the steps again. As he stepped through the door Emma took hold of his arm and led him to a table. She helped him into his seat. "My name is Lucas, by the way."

She smiled. "I'm Emma. Do you want some pancakes?" she asked as she sat down across from him.

Lucas blushed as his stomach growled again. He was embarrassed that his hunger was getting the best of him, but hadn't eaten for almost a week. Pancakes sounded so good. "Please, if it's not too much trouble…" he answered, fidgeting uncomfortably. He wasn't accustomed to relying on others.

The blond woman noted his discomfort. She looked to the counter where Ruby was watching with a sense of confusion. She gave the woman a nod to come over. The brunette grabbed her notepad and strolled over.

"I thought…" Ruby started, but the look Emma gave her made her turn her attentions to Luc instead. She'd learned the 'Emma look' well enough by then to know it was just better to move right on. "Uh, so what'll it be?"

"I'll take another coffee," said Emma. She motioned at the teen. "He'll have a breakfast with all the goods."

Ruby jotted the order down and looked to Lucas. "Anything to drink?" She asked.

He nodded, eyes cast on the tabletop even though he couldn't see it. His voice was quiet and timid as he answered, "Orange juice, please."

Emma waited for the food to arrive before deciding to interrogate the kid. He could have been a runaway, but he looked like he was just entering adulthood so probably not. His clothes and dirty appearance suggested to her that he had been living on the street though, which didn't make sense either because his personality totally clashed with that of a street rat. "So, uhm, are you on your own?" She asked.

Lucas nodded as he stuffed his face with eggs. He swallowed before answering. "Yes. I'm looking for someone," he said. "It's really important that I find him before something happens." He fumbled a bit as he sought out his orange juice, but when he found it he took a sip easily enough. "I was looking for the Sheriff's Office when I smelled food."

"Well, you're in luck," said Emma. "You found the Sheriff." She smiled at the stunned look that crossed his face.


	7. Chapter 7

The Land of Seasons

Kaext was sprawled on an over-sized bed, nothing but his favorite silk robe loosely covering his pale body. He had his head resting against Durante's bare chest as the younger man stroked his hair. His lips twitched into a smile around the lip of the pipe that sat between his teeth. Sweet smelling tobacco filled the room and he puffed a few smoke rings into existence. They floated lazily upwards, catching on a draft that carried them toward a window until they dissolved.

He felt the curly-haired brunette's chin rest against his scalp. As much as Kaext was enjoying the tender affection of his second lover, it did little to distract him from the sight of Lucas stripping out of the elaborate clothes he had made the youth wear. One of his hands slid across Durante's thigh, giving it an affectionate squeeze.

Lucas finished pulling on his nightshirt and glanced at the elder men. "Did you have to announce us that way?" he asked as he approached the bed "You're going to give your father a heart attack."

"My," Kaext mused sarcastically, "What a shame that would be." He pulled away from Durante, getting off the bed. His robes drooped over his slender body eloquently as he went to a tall dresser. He put his pipe out and set it on the oaken surface. From the top drawer he extracted a small wooden box that contained a single, round, stone that glowed a pale lilac color. The stone was about the size of a human eyeball. "Remember that favor I asked of you, Luc?"

The boy nodded and took a seat on the edge of the bed. They had spoken about the matter while Kaext had schooled him in making Durante's medicine. He was to keep the stone hidden until such a time when it was needed. Despite the vagueness of the quest, Lucas was the sort to jump at the chance to be helpful and, well, he trusted that Kaext wouldn't put him in a dangerous position. That's why they were supposed to stay behind, after all.

Behind him Durante shifted to kneel behind him. He felt the warmth of the older man seep through the thin shirt he wore. Smooth fingers tilted his head back so he was staring into the golden eyes of Kaext's second lover. His leather eye patch was loosened. His fingers wrapped around Durante's wrists as the patch dropped away to reveal the ugly scar and empty socket. Lucas wondered if Kaext had told him, but the curious look on Durante's face had Lucas assume that he had simply put two and two together regarding the size of the stone.

"Thank you, precious," the prince said, drawing Lucas' gaze back to the little glowing orb. Kaext smiled at him and carefully inserted the stone into his empty socket. "Take care of it, my beautiful boy," he murmured and drew Lucas into a sweet kiss before allowing the youth to replace the patch to keep the magical stone hidden. He then pushed Durante back to where they had been lounging.

"I don't want to stay here," Durante piped up, his soft voice sending a bit of a chill down the prince's spine as he settled back down. He leaned his head back and planted a kiss on the brunette's jaw. He didn't want to leave them either, but if something happened to them he would never be able to forgive himself.

"Why can't we go with you?" Luc asked as he crawled up the bed until his legs spread over Kaext's hips in a rather naïvely seductive manner. The tails of his shirt drew two pairs of eyes down to the pale legs that stuck out from beneath it. He blushed, but didn't try to hide himself like he had in the past. He shuddered as Kaext's hands ran up his thighs and beneath the shirt.

Kaext pulled Lucas down against his chest and gave the blonde an affectionate kiss on the forehead as the teen snuggled against him. "You both know that's not possible," he said. "It's my duty to end this stupid war." This was going to be the last time they were all together for who knew how long, possibly forever. There were plenty of dangers on the way to the Northern stronghold, and then the Snow Queen herself. He felt Durante curl up tighter to him as the three of them fell into a silent lull. "I need you two to stay here. I need you to protect the kingdom, and one another."

He looked to them both to see if they understood, which they did if the pouting faces were any indication. A smile turned the corners of his lips again despite himself. He wrapped his arms around his boys, and gave each individual a savory kiss.


End file.
